Rail-connection for electric railroads



(N Model.) E

E. L. ORCUT'T.

EAIL CONNECTION EOE ELECTRIC RAILECADS.

No. .374,199. Patented-Deo. 6, 1887.

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UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD L. ORCUTT, OF SOMRVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAIL-CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,199, dated December 6, 1887.

Applicationled February '1, 1887. Y Serial No. 227,065. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. ORCUTT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Somerville, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Itail-Connections for Electric Railroads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to maintain a continuous. electrical connection between the abutting ends of railway-rails; and my invention consists in providing the rails with sockets and with non-corrosive or substantially non-corrosive pins fitting the same, and in securing a connecting-plate in firm contact with said pins to permit the rails to move when contracting or expanding without breaking the good electrical contact with the plate.

In the drawings, Figure lis a sectional plan of rails and a sh-joint illustrating myinvention. Fig. 2is a transverse section on theline a: x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa sectional plan 'of rails, showing another form of fish-joint. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows the connecting-plates.

The rails A B are constructed, in the usual manner, with heads a, webs b, and side fianges, c c. The abutting ends of the rails are connected by means of the usual fish-joints, one form being shown in Figs. l and 2, and another form in Figs. 3 and 4. In Figs. l and 2 the ish-plates 2 3 overlap the ends of the rails, and are bolted thereto, as usual, by transverse bolts 4 4 4 4. In the web of each rail a transverse opening or socket is formed to receive the shank 6 of a headed copper pin, d. The socket or the shank is tapering or otherwise formed,so that when the shank is driven or forced into the socket until the head of the pin lies against the rail the pin will be firmly wedged. This connection is made while the surface of the socket is clean and unoxidized, and thereby a most perfect electrical connection is secured, the steni tting the socket so closely that neither liquid nor the air can pene trate the joint to impair the contact. Against the heads or ends of the pins thus secured is laid a connecting-piece, 7, of copper or other non-oxidizable or very slowly oxidizable metal, in such manner as to bear firmly upon the pins, and thus establish an unbroken electrical connection between the pins of the adjacent rails and thus between the rails themselves. This contact of the connecting-plate and pins is, at least so far as one of the pins is con;

cerned, and preferably as to both, a pressure-A g contact merely,so that as the rails move from expansion and contraction the pins will slide against the plate with a rubbing contact that maintains the surfaces clear and bright and insures a proper electrical connection. Different means of holding the plate in contact with the pin may be employed. Thus the plate 7 may be interposed between the heads of the pins and the sh-plate 3. I prefer, however, to insert a bent or bow springplate, 8, between the plate 7 and sh-plate 3, so that the latter, when drawn in by the bolts, will press upon the bow spring-plate and atten the latter, which will bear with spring-pressure on the plate 7 and hold it closely upon the pins, and this contact will thus be maintained even if the iish -plate should yield slightly from expansion of the bolts or lotherwise. To preserve the plates 7 8 in position, each may have slots 9 at the end to receive the bolts 4 4.

'In the tjoint shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the plates 2 3 lie upon the flanges c c, and the lianged bedplate ll supports the ends of the rails, while the U-shaped screw-bolt l0 clamps the parts together. In this construction the pins d d are preferably driven vertically into sockets in the fianges c c of the rails, and the non-oxidizable contact strip or plate 7, and, if desired, the bow spring-plate S is confined between one of the plates 2 3 and the pins as before.

It will be evident that the points of connection between the parts are by the above construction prevented from becoming impaired and electrically obstructed, and that the expansion and contraction of the rails instead of impairing the connection tends to maintain it.v

It will be evident that the pins and contactplates may be differently constructed and supported.

I prefer to employ copper for the pins 6 and plates 7 and 8, because it is one of the best conductors of electricity, it is comparatively cheap, and while it oxidizes slightly on exposnre to the air',` such oxidation does not rcfo practically impair its usefulness as an electric conductor, especially when the parts are arranged as described; but I wish to be understood as considering my invention ,as including other analogous metals so long as they are of such nature that they will not oxidize to such extent as to impair their usefulness as good electric conductors.

XVithout limiting myself to the precise construction and `arrangement of parts shown, I claim g l. The combination, with abutting ends of railway-rails, of pins, of copper or analogous material, fitting sockets in the rails, and a metallic strip in contact with both of said pins, substantially as described.

2. The combination, With a conducting-strip overlapping the abutting ends of railway-rails, of pins, of copper or analogous material, fitting tightly sockets in the rails and in frictional contact with said strip, substantially as described.

3. The rails provided with sockets and With pins driven tightly into said sockets, and a conducting-strip in frietional Contact With said pins, substantially as described.

4. The combination of rails, pins d d, and contactstrip 7, and iish-plate clamping said strip against the pins, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the rails, pins, fishplate, and contact-strip d, and bow springplate S, substantially as described.

6. The combination,with the rails, fish-plate, and bolts of a fish-joint, of contact-pins, of copper or analogous material, fitting sockets in the rails, and a plate clamped against said pins and slotted at the ends to receive the bolts, substantially as described.

7. The rails having transverse sockets in the Webs, and pins, of copper or analogous matcriahtherein, combined with a conductingstrip and fish-plates and bolts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD L. ORCUTT.

Vitnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, WM. A. HARRIns. 

